Concierge / Bell Desk - Taking Messages / Parcels / Courier and Delivering to the Guests

SOP Number: Front Office SOP – 47

Department: Concierge - Handling Messages and Couriers

Date Issued: 24-Jul-2018

Time to Train: 20 Minutes

Process for Taking and Delivering Guest Messages and Couriers:

1. As per the hotels operating standards all guest message to be delivered to the room within 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Always answer the telephone within three rings.

3. Take down the name of the guest and room number.

4. Verify the details of the guest like name and room number.

5. Do not disclose the room number or other personal details about the guest to the caller.

6. Take down the name of the person who is calling.

7. Take down the telephone number of the person who is calling.

8. Take down the time the person is calling.

9. Take down the name and contact number of the caller.

10. Take down the message on to the guest message slip format or type directly on to the PMS message window.

11. Note down the time the message was received.

12. Spell out the caller name correctly and reconfirm with the caller.

13. Repeat to the caller the message to check for understanding.

14. Open the guest reservation and type the message into the respective function or fields provided entering the message.

15. For internal Front Office messages or other notes please use either the traces function or the 'memo' field in the reservation window.

16. Print the message to be sent up to the guest room.

17. If the message contains sad news i.e. death or hospitalisation; notify the Duty Manager immediately before sending the message to the room.

18. In such cases, guest must be paged or notified immediately.

19. Write clearly the name of the guest and room number on the message envelope.

20. Deliver the message to the room as per the hotels standard.

Taking Messages for Banquet / Conference or Event Guests:

1. Write down the message on to guest message slip format.

2. Put the message slip in the designated envelope and hand-over to Banqueting Supervisor or Banquet manager.

3. Any message is to be received by the conference guest within five minutes.

Delivering Messages, Fax or Couriers to the Guest:

1. The telephone operator should check the fax machine constantly.

2. Sort out the messages, fax, couriers, parcels for guest and other departments separately.

3. Guest faxes and important messages to be sent up to the room immediately.

4. If a Do Not Disturb - DND sign is on the door, do not open the door.

5. For rooms with the DND signs gently slip the message under the door.

6. During the daytime, between 0900 – 2000 hrs knock the door thrice.

7. In case there is no answer, open the room and place the message at the foot of the bed.

8. If the guest responds, hand the message over to the guest.

9. After 2000 hrs, gently slip the message under the door.

10. After delivering the guest messages and/or faxes, note down the details in the Courier / Fax / Message logbook.

11. Internal department faxes, couriers, messages to be filed in the departmental slots or pigeon box located at the back office.

12. Nowadays the messages can be directly typed into the property management software (PMS) and these are relayed to the EPBX or telephone system.

13. The message light is automatically switched ON at the guest phone when a new message notification is sent from the hotel software or PMS tot he EPBX/PABX.

14. Similarly, the messages can be also displayed on the guest room television if the hotel has an interface between the In-Room-Entertainment system and the PMS/Hotel Software.

Training Summary questions:

Q1. What is the purpose of this SOP?

Q2. What all details to be noted down while taking a message for the guest?

Q3. What is the procedure in case the message contains sad news?

Q4. Explain the process for taking message or courier for event or banquet guests?

Q5. Standard process and methods for delivering messages to the guest?